Beach Closure Advisory (UPDATE): Avoid Ocean Water in Swim Areas Around Port of Los Angeles and City of Long Beach

LOS ANGELES – Yesterday the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) issued a beach closure notice due to a spill of untreated sewage released into the Dominguez Channel. The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (Sanitation Districts) has updated their estimations on the amount of untreated sewage from approximately 2-4 million gallons to 6-7 million gallons. The Dominguez Channel terminates into the Los Angeles Harbor at the Port of Los Angeles. Sanitation Districts crews are working to clean the immediately impacted area where the spill occurred, and cleanup is expected to be completed today.

All LA County beaches up to and including Rancho Palos Verdes Beach have been closed by Public Health.

Closure signs will be posted at impacted beach areas. Public Health officials are advising residents to avoid contact with ocean water in the affected areas. Water quality samples are being collected by Public Health and the Los Angeles City Sanitation District. The affected beaches will remain closed until water samples are confirmed to have bacteria levels within State standards. Beach users are advised to stay out of the water until the advisory is removed.

Recorded information on beach conditions is available 24-hours a day on the County's beach advisory hotline: 1-800-525-5662. Information is also available online at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/beach/.

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